


Too Close

by audreyslove



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/M, No Henry Mills (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:02:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22722880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/audreyslove/pseuds/audreyslove
Summary: A little something for Willow Love, From OQ
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Robin Hood
Comments: 11
Kudos: 69
Collections: Outlaw Queen Valentine’s Gift Exchange 2020





	Too Close

“Just admit you like him,” Mal snorts, “Say it out loud and let us all move on.”

They are basically at work, so Regina can’t let loose the string of expletives she’d like to say instead. There may be alcohol, but this networking event is very much part of her job.

“No, I find him obnoxious,” Regina snaps, “Are you even listening?”

“Yes, he sounds infuriating. ‘Oh, that handsome neighbor I keep on making eyes at is at it again.’ What a horrible tragedy you are living in.”

“He steals my paper _every_ morning,” Regina corrects. “Gives it back folded all wrong with notes scribbled all over it. And most recently he decided to poison me with baked goods.”

“They were just brownies, Regina.”

“He knew I was dieting!” Regina groans. “He commented on my groceries two days ago—”

“Regina,” Mal smiles, trading a knowing look with Mary Margaret. “You realize how this sounds?”

“It sounds like my friends aren’t listening to me,” Regina groans.

“What did he say about your groceries?” Mary asks, doing a piss poor job of containing her infuriating smirk.

“We were stuck in the elevator and he asked if I ever bought anything besides vegetables,” Regina rolls her eyes. “And then he brings me brownies the next day. I know what he’s up to, he’s sabotaging me.”

“He’s very handsome,” Mary Margaret notes, looking across the room at the man.

“Remember when she complained about how annoyingly blue his eyes were?”

“I swear that day he was wearing colored contacts. They were an impossible shade and it was off putting!” Regina groans, snatching her drink angrily. “You two are being ridiculous. It’s not a romance novel. I can honestly hate someone without secretly liking them. When it comes to my feelings on Robin Locksley, when you dig down, there’s just more annoyance.”

“Well, do your best to control your hatred for today. Gold wants his business. You’re going to have to charm him,” Mal warns.

“He _knows_ I work with Gold. I bet he just came tonight because he knew I would have to be nice.”

As if on cue, Robin approaches the threesome, a beer in hand and an obnoxious, self-satisfied smirk on his lips.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Robin smiles at Regina.

“Yes, what a pleasant surprise, me, at an event my company is sponsoring,” Regina mutters. “Mary Margaret, Mallory, this is Dr. Locksley, Orthopedics. He happens to also be my neighbor.”

“Oh, of course!” Mary Margaret gushes, reaching out to shake his hand. “I've heard great things about you!”

Regina wants to kill her. The look she gives attempts to do just that, but sadly the laser beams she wishes could shoot out of her eyes do not come.

“Oh, have you?” Robin asks, looking at Regina with some confusion. “What has Regina shared?”

“Oh, that she loves having you as a neighbor and you’re a very interesting person,” Mary says sweetly.

“Little tip, Mary Margaret is a saleswoman, so take what she tells you with a grain of salt,” Regina mutters.

“Regina!” Mary looks at her and shakes her head. “I hear about your sense of humor often, those little sarcastic notes in the news articles make us all laugh. And I’ve heard your son is absolutely adorable. I’ve seen his artwork. Regina has it up on her fridge!”

Well, this is awful. Her cheeks are hot, and so is her neck, and her… everything. Oh god, she is going to die of embarrassment. But first, she should kill Mary Margaret.

At least Robin has the good sense to look genuinely touched instead of smug and self satisfied.

He shouldn’t take it as a compliment that she keeps Roland’s art. After all, “Roland, I like,” she admits. “I can only imagine he takes after his mother.”

Mallory nearly spits out her gin at that, clearly not expecting Regina to insult the man whose business they are supposed to be after, but fuck it, her pride is worth more than this job, and Regina has no intention of letting him think she’s yet another doe-eyed woman fawning all over the hot doctor in apartment 815. The others in the building can do that, but she will _not_ join them.

For his part, Robin does what he always seems to when she insults him. He laughs, assuming her coldness is part of some ongoing joke they have (he may be right, she has to admit).

“My son has a bit of a crush, I’m afraid,” Robin explains to Mary Margaret, though his words appear very much for Regina’s benefit. “Ever since Regina babysat him one night, all I hear is how wonderful she is, how pretty she is, how she bakes the most delicious cookies and makes the best paper snowflakes.”

Regina snorts.

Robin had an unexpected emergency a few months ago, and there was a snow storm, and it was late. She saw him struggling to take an exhausted toddler to the hospital, little Roland in his pajama onesie and puffy winter coat, while Robin was on the phone begging someone to reconsider.

“He’s exhausted and just getting over the flu and the last place he needs to be is out of the cold and then in the hospital for a full night, please,” she heard him say on the phone.

“Daddy, I’m sleepy!” Roland had said in tears. “I want my bunny!”

And something snapped in Regina, despite the fact she’d tried so hard to be cold and distant to the hot, charming neighbor. He annoyed her, but they had shared enough awkward elevator conversations and apartment happy hour small talk to where she felt she could offer to watch his son, just for a bit, to let the boy sleep while Robin worked.

It shocked the hell out of her that he took her up on it, grateful and near tears at her offer.

And then Robin was stuck in the hospital for a full day. The storm brought an influx of injuries into the ER, but more importantly it shut the city down for a bit—something that no storm had done in years. He was devastated over it, called Regina promising to try to get someone over there immediately, but of course, no one could come.

That is how Regina found herself in charge of the care of a three year old for a full day.

If she’s being honest, she loved it. Every sappy, sickeningly sweet moment with that boy was just incredible, made her feel at peace with the world in a way she wouldn’t have expected.

And that just made her hate Robin even more.

She doesn’t hate Roland. But she can hate Robin Locksley for making her feel things that are _very_ not according to plan.

Especially when his plan involved fucking some vapid, leggy little blonde thing he flaunted around the apartment building four days later, leaving Regina wondering why this woman he was dating couldn’t have cared for his son instead.

“I’ll send you the cookie recipe. For Roland,” she offers, “If you promise not to leave those or any other baked goods on my doorstep again. Especially when you _know_ I’m trying to lose the weight from the holidays.”

Robin’s smile goes lopsided. He looks to Mallory and Mary Margaret. “Will one of you tell her she looks absolutely gorgeous and deserves a treat now and then?” he asks.

Oh no, oh no no no, if she visibly blushes at the sound of hearing Robin Locksley call her gorgeous she will _never_ live it down.

“Believe me, if she listened to us she’d be doing a whole host of things differently,” Mallory glares pointedly at Regina. “I’m so sorry, Mary and I have to charm the head of pediatrics now. You’ll excuse us.”

That bitch! That absolute bitch has taken Mary Margaret and just left Regina alone with the neighbor she _hates._ And she can’t just stalk out of here and treat him terribly because her boss is in this room and he’s looking _right_ at her.

Fuck.

“So,” Robin says softly.

“So, are you going to buy our software?” Regina asks cooly, “I mean, you know that’s why Gold invited you.”

“I don’t know,” Robin admits. “There’s a managing partner who handles that, and of course we have an accountant and a business manager that are in charge of the organization aspect.” He points across the room to another far-too-handsome man. “That’s August Booth. He is the one here to learn about software and the like. Personally I have no interest in that sort of stuff. Find it completely boring. I don’t really enjoy being schmoozed either. August likes the pharmaceutical reps that come and sell, all the medical suppliers that throw parties… it isn’t my thing.”

“Then why are you here?” Regina asks. “This is exactly the sort of thing you apparently hate.”

“I’m here because I was hoping you would be, too,” Robin admits.

“Mm, well you guessed right. Now you have me where you want me. You can tease me and say your peace and I have to take it, because you’re a potential customer,” she gripes.

Robin chuckles. “I’m a bit like the boy on the playground that pulls on the girls pigtails, aren’t I? No, Regina. I didn’t come here to bother you. I just wanted to see you.”

“If you want to see me, I’m fairly certain you know where I live,” Regina deadpans, trying to keep herself from shaking, from letting on that she’s more touched than she should be.

“Listen, I realize now I might be annoying you when I’ve been trying so hard to do the opposite. I thought we were…. friends bantering. You see, Roland isn’t the only one with a crush,” he admits quietly.

Oh.

Well that can’t be right. It’s another gag, another joke.

She grips at her drink tighter and swallows thickly.

“If that were true, I’d say that you have a funny way of showing it,” Regina mutters.

“What do you mean?”

“Do you think stealing my morning paper and mocking my groceries is really the way to a woman’s heart?” she asks, trying very hard to appear disinterested.

“I, um,” Robin shrugs and leans against the wall, looking far too handsome looking for his own good. She feels trapped, like she’s dove headfirst in some cologne filled, warm hazy lagoon, god she needs to get out before she drowns in him. “I don’t know if I would say I thought it was the way to your heart. But I had hoped it would catch your interest.”

“Spare me this nonsense,” she rolls her eyes. “You are far too handsome and charming to be this dense.”

“Am I?” he asks, damn it, did she just compliment his looks in a way that makes it clear that she’s into him? _Shit._

 _“_ The self deprecating thing doesn’t work on you. I can see that smug smile threatening to pop out,” she grimaces. “And we both know there are no shortage of women falling all over themselves to get you to notice them. Forgive me if I’m not interested in being part of your little fan club.”

“I don’t have a fan club,” Robin insists.

“Try again. Have you seen the way the women in our building follow after you? Ask your little blonde friend. I’m sure she’s noticed.”

“My little blonde friend?”

“The one who pranced out of your apartment in nothing but your tee shirt and a smile to give me my paper back not too long ago,” Regina reminds. “And by the way, can you remind her that you aren’t a very big guy and those shirts of yours aren’t as long as she thinks? The view from behind was… well, I’m sure _you_ weren’t complaining, but should she really be traipsing around the hallway like that?”

Robin looks sick. “Are you… talking about _Emma?”_ he asks, and she can’t figure out why he looks disgusted until he adds, “not my little cousin Emma, please—”

Regina cannot help but laugh. “Oh come on. If that is truly your cousin—”

He pulls out his phone frantically and starts typing like a mad man. Then he hands it over.

It is a Facebook page of the girl she saw. Her name is Emma Swan. Dressed appropriately in this picture. And sure enough, she’s listed herself as Robin’s cousin.

“Good god Robin, why was your cousin going commando in your apartment?”

“I don’t know! She’s a free spirit and her manners are… I don’t know, maybe she’s a bit eccentric or… fuck, I can’t explain it. You would understand if you met her.” Robin groans. “I remember that time. She was fast asleep on the couch when I went to take a shower, when I got back she was all proud of herself saying she returned the paper to the the hot neighbor I can’t stop talking about—”

“Can’t stop talking about?” She raises her eyebrows.

“I tend to talk about the people I like quite a bit. And I like you.”

Regina bites her lip and pretends, just for a moment, that he’s not lying.

“I work sixty hours a week. I am a single dad. Roland's mother is an unreliable coparent. The last thing I have time or interest in doing is getting into the dating game and trying to meet someone, then going through the long process of seeing whether they can handle my mess of a life.”

Regina can relate. She’s married to her job, as it is. She hasn’t dated — actually _dated_ , in years. One night stands are not so bad, but they do have a tendency to get messy.

“So no, I wasn’t looking for anything. But when I’m around you… it’s just, I feel differently about you. Maybe it’s because I already know you are great with kids — my son in particular, and that you are also busy and take your job seriously. Maybe it’s those two things, though, full disclosure, I was definitely interested in you before I knew either. You can add ‘shallow’ to your list of issues with me, because you’re the most gorgeous woman in my life. Then you saved me, that night with my son, and I don’t think I can ever repay you, but I want to—”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she interrupts, because in the series of unbelievablle, absurd things he’s said, this tops the list, “spending time with your son is not an inconvenience. You have nothing to repay me for.”

Her head tilts, her hand seeks his as if possessed by something (she’s like a moth to a flame with him, she swears).

“Have dinner with us,” Robin asks. “Please. I know I keep asking and you’ve made it very clear you’re not interested, but I have to try one more time. I swear I'm much less annoying when I’m not trying to invent new pathetic ways of starting a conversation with you.”

Regina chuckles and shakes her head. “That’s not why I find you annoying. Or why I keep turning down your dinner requests.”

Robin raises his eyebrows, and Regina chugs the rest of her liquid courage.

She doesn’t want him to know how much those little notes on her paper have secretly meant to her, thoguh she’d try to see them as obnoxious, though she’d complain as if she was bothered and she’d almost convince herself she hated them, until a day went by when the paper had none of Robin’s scribbling on it, and she was left feeling off and uncomfortable all day. She settles on, “I don’t want to have dinner with you as a potential babysitter. Or a…” she swallows, “or a friend.”

“We are friends,” Robin argues, “at least, I think of us as that.”

Right. She’s going to pack up the last of her dignity and get out of here, thank god she didn’t say more, maybe she can still save some face here...

“Well, I disagree,” she says curtly, turning away from him, the soft mood shifting quickly.

“Regina, please. We are friends, awkward ones at that, but we are friends. But I’d like to get to know you better, and in ways far more intimate than I know my other friends.”

He has a way with words. It’s so unexpected she cannot help but laugh at his clever little twist on friendship.

For the first time, she can’t think of a single thing to say.

There’s silence, her laugh the last sound between them, seemingly echoing between them, making the distance and awkwardness more until it overwhelms.

“Do you feel the same?” Robin asks politely. “At all?”

She bites her lip to keep from blurting things she may regret, like, “very much so,” and, “you have no idea how much”.

When she’s composed enough to answer, she clears her throat and her posture becomes more rigid, attempting to get some height and feel a bit more powerful in this conversation.

“If you’re talking about dating—”

“I am,” Robin admits sheepishly. “I think you might have been hinting that you’re interested yourself.”

“Next door neighbors dating might get… messy,” she frowns. “When we break up, we will still have to see one another all the time.”

“I wouldn’t count on our relationship ending before it starts. And if I’m understanding you correctly, if I move, it’s ‘yes’?” Robin asks.

She snorts.

“It’s a great building. I love it very much. But I’ll find a new place if that’s what it takes.”

“You’d get a whole new apartment just for a _date_ with me?” Regina balks. “Stop joking. You’re not the impulsive type.”

“I’m not joking. And I’m not being impulsive. I’ve had a miserable year but these little interactions I’ve shared with you, you’ve shared with my son, they’ve been meaningful to me, and now that I know they’ve meant something to you too? Well, if moving is the price to pay to get to know you better, I’ll do it. I want to get to know you, I want to share the paper instead of stealing it from you. Instead of writing little snarky quips to articles, I want to say them out loud, to you. I want to know your movie taste because we are watching them together, not because I caught a bit of dialogue through open windows.”

Regina smiles. “I’m worth that much to you?”

He nods.

“Don’t give up your apartment. That is ridiculous,” she directs.

“I—” he starts.

“I like having you as a neighbor,” she admits with a smile. “And, yes, I’d like to know you in less neighborly ways, too.”

The rest of the abismal, boring networking event goes delightfully. Regina schmoozes and smiles, laughs at terrible jokes, pretends not to be bothered by some of the flirtations from the older doctors.

More often, when she tries to find him in the crowd, he’s staring back at her with that smile she once called _infuriating_ but now considers _wonderful_.

It’s his suggestion to have dinner after, and she finds she doesn’t mind the last minute nature of his suggestion in the slightest.

They both discover they are foodies with a voracious appetite to partake in the unknown, and the tapas restaurant is perfectly paired with their adventurous personality.

Robin makes dad jokes, she notices, and is far less intimidating than she once thought. He loves his son. He hates his ex. He worries his son may suffer her growing indifference to being a mother, whispers as he admits Roland cried the last time his mother had to cancel her weekend with him.

Regina finds herself sharing more easily than she has with others, speaking on the indifference of her own mother and how her father more than made up for it.

They speak of failed dating attempts. Regina admits her heart has been stomped on more than once, that she’s worried she might have developed a callous over the wound that makes it impossible for her to truly feel things the way she once did.

Robin admits to being a hopeless romantic and an eternal optimist when it comes to love, but he’s very discerning when it comes to the women he will allow in Roland’s life.

It’s a first date that doesn’t feel like a first date at all. The conversation is too deep, the intentions too pure and sincere to be something as superficial as a first meal with someone you might like to sleep with.

Oh, she’s lusted after him before, and he’s admitted tonight that for months he’s stared at her longer than has been polite behind her back, but there is much more than attraction and sexual tension between them, and yet far different than a blooming close friendship.

For a year conversation has trickled out between the two of them, bits and pieces in elevators, by the mailboxes, while they walk to the subway, when Roland comes to drop off a handmade gift or treat.

Now it’s like an avalanche and every last word that was held back over that year spills forward, leaving her to feel as if they’ve been regular dinner partners for the entire year.

They walk back in the cold together. He steadies her as she slides on black ice, his hands around her waist sends a shiver through her the biting cold cannot claim as its own.

His hands are warm, his grip is firm and confident; she likes his touch.

Robin asks to walk her to her door (he has to walk past it to get to his apartment, so it’s more of a joke then a request) and she rolls her eyes and lets him pretend to be chivalrous.

When they reach her doorway, he tells her this is the best day he’s had in he can’t remember how long, and she has to admit the same.

The kiss they share at that moment isn’t exactly smooth — in retrospect, she thinks he meant to kiss her forehead, or maybe her cheek, maybe a quick peck on the lips, nothing more.

But she’s high on adrenaline from a date that’s gone far too well, so she meets his lips with her own and deepens it into something much more passionate.

She’s embarrassed when he seems surprised by her boldness, but only for a second, and then he’s kissing back and all she can do is feel.

She can add _incredible kisser_ to the list of things that Robin Locksley is far too good at for his own good.

They kiss until she’s dizzy, until she can barely stand on her heels, until she’s pressed against the doorway, panting and flushed, until her lips are swollen and she’s breathing in deep, cologne scented breaths, shivering as he threads his hand through her hair and scratches at her scalp.

They kiss until the judgy, elderly neighbor from 818 walks past and clears her throat.

“Well, it’s about time, you too. But this is a _public_ space,” she reminds, sending them both into giggles as she shuts the door loudly behind her.

“Would it be too soon to ask you out for another date?” Robin asks.

Perhaps it is too soon, but Regina has never been clear on the rules. So she shrugs and asks him, “What do you have in mind?”

“Well, maybe a slight downgrade from the five star meal we just had. This may be less caviar and champagne on the table, a bit more spaghetti-o’s and apple juice. But the company, I assure you, is divine.”

“Dinner with you and Roland?” she asks, the smile that takes over her face a clear giveaway that this pleased her very much indeed.

She hates that Mary Margaret is right, in even one thing, but as the woman teases her that next week at work, Regina can only shrug and admit that perhaps she never quite hated Robin Locksley after all.


End file.
